Support for plumb-rules.



H. PLATT. SUPPORT FOR PLUMB RULES. APPLICATION FILED JULY 26, 1910.

1,003,499; Pa ented sept. 19,1911.

2 sums-awn 1. 9

H. PLATT.

SUPPORT FOR PLUMB RULES. Q

- I APPLICATION FILED JULY 26, 1910. 1,003,499, Patented Sept. 19,1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2,

HENRY PLATT, OF SUFFERN, NEW YORK.

SUPPORT FOR PLUMB-RULES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 19, 1911.

Application fi1ed July 26, 1910. Serial No. 573,991.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY PLATT, citizen of the United States, residing at Suffern, in the county of Rockland and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Supports for Plumb- Rules, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to plumb rules and more particularly to means for supporting a rule in vertical position when starting a plumbing.

Heretofore, it has been the practice for brick-layers, masons and other artisans, when starting a plumbing to lay the first few courses of a wall or partition without the aid of a plumb rule, relying entirely upon the eye to properly aline the bricks until the wall has reached. a suflicient height to permit the plumb rule to be placed against the same, when the bricks in the lower courses of the wall are struck with a hammer or other suitable tool until the wall is plumb. Such a mode of construction is very unsatisfactory, not only on account of the loss of time and labor on the part of the bricklayer in alining the bricks after the lower courses are laid, but also by reason of the fact that the mortar sets quickly, thus rendering it almost impossible to aline the bricks with the result that the base of the finished wall or partition is often out of plumb.

The object of the invention is to obviate these objectionable features and to provide means whereby a plumb level may be supported in vertical position when starting a plumbing so as to provide an accurate gage for the bricklayer to build against when laying the lower courses in a wall, thereby not only insuring a perfectly plumb wall, but materially reducing time and labor on the part of the operator in erecting said wall.

A further object is to provide a bracket or support including a plurality of pivotally connected members, one of which is provided with means for engagement with a plumb rule, the other member. being adjustable vertically with respect thereto so as to conform to any surface irregularities and thus insure a firm anchorage for the plumb rule.

A further object is to provide a bracket or support, the construction of which is such that the support may be positioned within, or on the outside of an angle of a wall.

A still further object of the invention is generally to improve this class of devices so as to increase their utility, durability and efliciency.

Further objects and advantages will appear in the following description, it being understood that various changes in form,

proportions and minor details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a plumb rule support or bracket constructed in accordance with my invention, showing the supporting members of the bracket arranged within the angle of a wall; Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the support arranged on the outside of the angle of a wall; Fig. 3 is a similar view, showing the support reversed; Fig. i is a perspective view, showing the supporting members of the bracket folded for transportation or shipment.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The improved device comprises pivotally connected members 5 and 6, preferably rectangular in cross section and formed of wood, metal or other suitable material, the upper end of one member being extended longitudinally beyond the adjacent end of the other member and provided with a slot 7. Secured to the inner longitudinal edge of each leg or member, is a strap iron 8 to which is pivotally connected at 9, a supporting foot 10, said foot being extended beneath the adjacent leg or member and having its free end bent upwardly to provide a terminal ear or lug 11, adapted to assist in preventing accidental displacement of a brick or other weight placed on the foot for the purpose of anchoring the members 5 and 6. The inner longitudinal edge of the member .5 is preferably arranged at right angles to the adjacent side face of the relatively short member 6 and to which it is fastened by means of a U-shaped clip 12. The closed end of the clip 12 bears against the adjacent side face of the member (Sand is-pivotally connected thereto by a bolt 13, while the opposite arms of the clip 12 embrace the ad jacent side walls of the member 5 and are pierced by a transverse clamping bolt 14, which latter also extends through the slot 7. By such a construction, the member 6 may be adjusted vertically with respect to the member 5 so as to permit the foot of the member 6 to conform to any irregularities in the surface of the ground, the pivot pin or bolt 13 also permitting the short leg or member 6 to be swung laterally with respect to the member 5 so as to permit spreading of the legs or members, when necessary.

' Secured to the upper end of the member 5 is a bracket including spaced strap irons 15 having their inner ends spaced apart to provide clamping ears 16 which embrace the upper end of the member 5 and their intermediate portions offset at 17, and thence bent at right angles to the offset portions 17 to form spaced clamping arms 18 for engagement with a plumb rule 19 of any suitable construction.

' firmly clamp the plumb rule and retain the Extending transversely through the clamping arms 18, is a bolt or similar fastening device 20 so that by adjusting the clamping nut 21 of said bolt, the arms thereof will respect to the member 5.

with an inwardly extending flange 29 adapt- Extending laterally from one side of the long member or leg 5 and pivotally mounted on the head of the fastening device or bolt 22, is a substantially U-shaped clamping member or yoke 24: adapted to receive the plumb rule 19 when the support is reversed, there being a bolt 25 piercing the arms of the clamping member 24 for the purpose of retaining the plumb rule in engagement therewith.

Pivotally mounted on the lower end of the long leg or member 5, is a clip 26 having a longitudinal slot 27 formed therein for the reception of a pivot bolt 28 and provided ed to embrace the adjacent leg or member 6 for the purpose of holding the legs in assembled position during transportation 01 shipment.-

In starting a plumb, the legs 5 and 6 are arrangedinside of the wall at one corner or angle thereof and bricks or other suitable weights placed on the supporting feet 10,

after which the plumb rule 19 is inserted between the clamping arms 18 and the nut 21 adjusted so as to hold said plumb rule in vertical position when laying the succeeding courses in a wall. It will here be noted that by having the bracket offset at 17 the plumb rule 19 is supported at the corner of the wall, while the legs 5 and 6 are disposed within the lines of said wall so as not to interfere with the bricklayer or mason when laying the succeeding courses, as best shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. When it is impossible to position the legs 5 and 6 within the angle of the wall, as for instance, when starting the first course above a cellar line, the position of the support is reversed and said legs arranged outside the angle of the wall, as best shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, but if for any reason, the surface of the ground is of such a character, or the construction of the building is such as to prevent the support from bein used in the manner shown in Fig. 2 of t 1e drawings, the posltlon of the legs 5 and 6 is changed so as to bring the clamping arms 2 1 next to the plumb rule 19 for the purpose of supporting the latter, as best shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

It will here be noted that the yoke 12 and bolts 13 and 14 form in effect a universal connection between the legs or members 5 and 6 so as to permit one member to be swung laterally with respect to the other, and at the same time permitting the short member or leg 6 to be adjusted vertically of the mating member 5 when the surface of the ground is uneven. It will also be noted that the pin or bolt 22 performs the dual function of supporting the strap irons 15 comprising the bracket and the yoke 14 in position on the upper end of the member or leg 5, thus permitting the members 15 and 2-1 to be tilted at any angle or inclination for engagement with the plumb rule either simultaneously or independently. If desired, the position of the feet 10 may be reversed so that the ears or lugs 11 may extend downwardly into the ground and thus assist in anchoring the supporting members or legs.

When the device is not in use, the legs 5 and 6 are folded together and in which position they are effectually clamped by means 'of the clip 26.

Thus it will be seen that there is provided a comparatively simple and inexpensive device for supporting a plumb rule in vertical position when starting a plumbing so as to provide an accurate gage for the bricklayer to build to and thus insure the erection of a perfectly plumb wall.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A device of the class described including pivotally united upright members of dif ferent lengths, and a bracket extendin laterally from and pivotally connected wlth the upper end of one of the members and provided with spaced ears adapted to embrace a plumb rule.

2. A device of the class described including pivotally united upright members movable to a position at an angle to each other, one of said members being adjustable vertically, and a bracket mounted on and pivotally connected with the upper portion of the other member and having means at its opposite ends for engagement with a plumb rule.

8. A device of the class described including pivotally united upright members of different lengths, one of which is adjustable vertically and laterally with respect to the other, and a bracket pivotally mounted on the upper end of the long member and having means at one end thereof for detachable engagement with a plumb rule.

4. A device of the class described including coacting upright members, one of which is longer than the other and provided with a longitudinal slot, a yoke pivotally mounted on the inner face of the other member, a fastening device piercing the arms of the yoke and entering the slot, and a bracket pivotally mounted on the upper portion of the slotted member and having separate means at each end thereof for engagement with a plumb rule.

5. A device of the class described including co-acting upright members, one of which is slotted, a yoke pivotally mounted on the inner face of the mating member and having its arms embracing the slotted member, a fastening device slidably mounted within the slot and engaging the arms of the yoke, and a bracket pivotally mounted on the upper end of the slotted member and having means at each end thereof for engagement with a plumb rule.

6. A device of the class described including coacting vertically disposed members of different lengths, one of which is provided with a longitudinal slot, the other member being adjustable vertically and laterally with respect to the slotted member, a yoke pivotally mounted on the inner face of the short member and embracing the slotted member, a bracket pivotally mounted on the upper end of said slotted member and hav ing one end thereof provided with means for engagement with a plumb rule, and means extending through the yoke and slot for clamping the short member in different positions of vertical adjustment.

7. A device of the class described including pivotally connected upright members,

one of which is adjustable vertically and laterally with respect to the mating member, and a bracket pivotally mounted on the upper end of one member and having its intermediate portion offset and provided at its opposite ends with means for engagement with a plumb rule.

8. A device of the class described including pivotally connected members, strap irons having their inner ends spaced apart to form ears adapted to embrace the adjacent end of one of the members and their outer ends provided with clamping arms for engagement with a plumb rule, a bolt forming a pivotal connection between the ears and adjacent member, and means piercing the clamping arms for forcing the latter in engagement with the adjacent sides of the plumb rule.

9. A device of the class described including pivotally united supporting members, a bracket having its intermediate portion offset and provided at one end thereof with spaced ears embracing one of said members, a bolt extending through the ears and said member, clamping arms carried by the bracket for engagement with a plumb rule, a clamping yoke swiveled on said bolt, and adjusting means piercing the yoke and clamping arms, respectively.

10. A device of the class described including pivotally united members of diflerent lengths, strap irons secured to the inner longitudinal edges of said members, feet pivotally connected with the strap irons and extending beneath the lower ends of the mem bers and provided with upstanding stop lugs, and a clamping device pivotally mounted on the upper end of the long member for engagement with a plumb rule.

11. A device of the class described including pivotally united upright members, one

of which is adjustable vertically with respect to the other, a bracket pivotally mounted on the upper portion of one of the mem bers and having its intermediate portion offset and thence extended laterally to form ,spaced clamping arms adapted to receive Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, 

